Jail for Ann Summers chief's former nanny

Former nanny Allison Cox added screen wash to asparagus soup which had been prepared for her employer's lunch. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

A nanny formerly employed by Ann Summers boss Jacqueline Gold has been jailed for 12 months after admitting attempting to poison the lingerie tycoon with screen wash.

Allison Cox, 33, who was hired by Gold to look after her daughter, Scarlett, at her mansion in Whyteleafe, Surrey, laced two bowls of asparagus soup with the toxic substance in an attempt to get the chef who had prepared it into trouble.

Sentencing her at Guildford crown court, judge Christopher Critchlow said Cox had demonstrated "calculated and deceitful behaviour" in breaching the trust of an employer who trusted her to look after her only child.

He said Gold had feared for the safety of her daughter, who was with Cox when she found out her food had been poisoned, and the experience had been all the worse because the child's twin had died, aged eight months.

The court heard that Gold had been "devastated" when Cox gave notice on 23 September last year after problems getting on with the chef, Patricia Edwards.

Outlining the case, prosecutor Rachel Davies said that a few days later, on 29 September, Gold ate a meal prepared by Edwards which tasted like it had a whole jar of salt in it.

She confronted the chef who was surprised as she had not put any salt in it, and even took it out of the bin to taste it herself.

On 4 October Gold also found another meal to be inedible, this time with too much sugar. She was not permitted sugar in her diet for medical reasons, but again the chef had not put any in.

The next day Gold's lunch was not readywhen she left for work, so Cox was asked to drop it off.

Two bowls of asparagus soup were each covered with cling film and one was heated up for Gold by an assistant. Davies said: "Gold took one mouthful, and in her words, instantly knew there was a chemical in her soup and it was very strong."

Other members of staff tasted the soup and concluded it had washing-up liquid in it, while one suggested screen wash.

When the defendant was confronted, she denied knowing anything but when pressed, admitted administering the substances to Gold's food on the three occasions because she "hated Pat".

When the defendant was arrested on 6 October she told police: "I didn't mean to poison her, I just thought it would smell funny or taste funny and ruin her lunch".

Davies said the five-litre container of pink-coloured screen wash, which was shown to the court, contained a number of chemicals, which could have "serious toxic side-effects if ingested". Drinking the liquid could cause nausea, gastrointestinal problems and even heart failure.

The defendant, who was immediately fired, has since written two emails to Gold apologising and expressing regret for what she had done, the court heard.

Davies said Gold had treated Cox as "part of the family", and she "was someone she trusted implicitly with what she described as the most precious thing in her life, her daughter." It was seen as an "aggravating feature" that Cox, who has complained about media interest in the case, has given interviews about the matter, and appeared on ITV1's Daybreak on Friday.